Public Cord Blood Donation

We received notification on Saturday that Nolan's cord blood unit arrived at CryoBanks International in Florida. This was welcome news. This was the same week President Obama lifted the ban on embryonic stem cell research. To be clear, stem cells from cord blood units are different from embryonic stem cells. Stem cells from cord blood units are currently infused to treat patients with curable blood diseases. Embryonic stem cell research will hopefully advance therapies to treat conditions like Parkinson's Disease, which afflicted my Grandpa Marvin, or paralysis from spinal cord injury, a daily battle for my friend Lynne, who was injured in a car accident in early November. These are just some of the possibilities. Until this ban was lifted, researchers receiving government money were only able to perform research on existing stem cell lines (ie, lines created before the ban). There were approximately 25 viable stem cell lines at that time, and many of them were compromised because they used mouse feeder cells.

We decided to donate his cord to the public cord blood bank, so that it is available for ANYONE who needs a stem cell transplant (provided Nolan's HLA is compatible and the stem cell dose is adequate). Little Nolan will have the opportunity to save someones life. This is part of the work that I do at the NMDP, and it was nice to be able to contribute to the greater good in this way. Since I've now been pregnant 3 times and my HLA (human leukocyte antigen) typing is extremely common, my chances of ever being a donor myself are slim.

Nolan inherited one haplotype from me and one from Adam. My HLA typing is A*0201; B*0702, B*0801; DRB1*0301; DQB1*0201; Cw*0702, Cw*0701. These are some of the most common alleles and haplotypes a person can have. We're unsure of Adam's HLA typing. Due to his (let's call them issues) with blood and needles, he probably wouldn't be the best donor (and he'd admit this himself), so Nolan's possible second haplotype is a mystery to me.

On the subject of cancer...Adam's co-worker learned last week that his cancer has resurfaced. He's battled some form of cancer since he was 17, and has been an advocate for experimental research for cancer patients in Washington, DC. Adam's tennis coach at Gustavus was also recently diagnosed with cancer. Coach Steve Wilkinson has been an inspiration to all who have the opportunity to be in his presence. He wrote the following, which I feel compelled to share. It is applicable for all of us, and how we view our contribution to the world.

"I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. I will emerge victorious from this cancer fight. Victory at its highest level is not measured by winning or losing, life or death, and other things outside our control. True victory depends on choices that we can make, by the things within our control. At Gustavus we call them the Three Crowns. They are positive attitude, full effort, and good sportsmanship. Sometimes these are hard to keep in focus. That is why I have always treasured the Serenity Prayer. 'God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.'"

All these stories of cancer are balanced with stories of hope. A close friend at work asked me to sit with her earlier this year, while she donated her stem cells via a PBSC donation to a complete stranger, so I was able to live vicariously through her in my desire to be a donor. Her patient had received a previous stem cell transplant late last year, but the cells didn't engraft. My friend was informed this week that her patient has engrafted and has already been released from the hospital. While she was donating we spoke of the positive energy we were sending to her cells. The rounding physician said, just pray the cells mobilize. We prayed for that, too...and surprise, surprise, God answers prayers. We continue to pray for her continued health.

I am grateful for all of these folks...and numerous others who have and are courageously battling cancer. They show the rest of us how to live.